Summary

In Section “39 / 1870,” Josey and her children walk to the market. The children are nearly five. Rachel looks like Josey but Squiggy has Jackson’s coloring. He is mentally handicapped. Because of her children, Josey’s sickness has left her. She realizes their care is more important than her pain. They are on their way to a new market that Annie has opened.

As they walk, a wagon passes. A man tries to help Squiggy because he fell. Naomi recognizes that the man is George. He recognizes Rachel and Squiggy, commenting that they are Josey’s children. He mentions that Rachel looks just like Josey. A woman notices George is too close to Rachel but George covers his actions by pretending to pull a coin from behind Rachel’s ear. George indicates to Rachel that she is special and that he will...